Marionette construction



1953 H. H. ROLLINS MARIONETTE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. :23. 1950 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARIONETTE CONSTRUCTION Hazello H. Rollins, Kansas City, Mo.

Application January 23, 1950, Serial No. 140,022

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in toys in the nature of puppets or marionettes, the primary object being to provide certain joint construction in the toy for producing a more lifelike, animated effect than is possible in the control of conventional articles of this character.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a marionette toy of the kind disclosed in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,113,839 of April 12, 1938, and issued in the name of Hazelle H. Hedges, and including improvements in the foot and leg interconnection of the toy so as to render the same more life-like when controlled in the manner described by said patent.

An important object of the present invention is to provide in marionettes, a novel joint connection between the legs and the feet or shoes thereof which will cause an ankle action upon controlling the toy through manipulation of the legs and other parts of the body thereof.

More minor objects will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of marionette construction made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a substantially, central, vertical, crosssectional view through one of the shoes and a portion of the corresponding leg of the marionette; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

With the exceptions of the improvements hereof about to be described, the marionette toy shown in Fig. l of the drawing and broadly designated by the numeral II], is of much the same construction as that disclosed in my aforesaid patent, and it is contemplated that the same be controlled in similar fashion.

A head I2 is provided with a neck portion l4, suitably mounted upon the body of marionette in much the same manner as provided for in 'my patent.

Head 12 includes a front section 24 formed as illustrated in such manner as to simulate a human head.

Marionette IB is also provided with a pair of legs 62 that are jointed in much the same manner as described by my patent aforesaid. Each leg 62 is provided with a shoe 64 having a top wall 66 that is in turn provided with an elongated slot 68. Shoe 6 4 is hollow and receives an eye 10' provided with a threaded shank I2 that extends into the lowermost end of leg 62. It is noted that the slot 68 is arcuate longitudinally to conform to the contour of eye 10 and that wall is provided with a pair of opposed bosses 'Hi and 16 for limiting side movement of the shoe 64 with respect to the eye I0. In transverse cross-section, the opposed walls of bosses M and 76 forming the slot 68, diverge as the lowermost ends thereof are approached, all as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Through the construction and interconnection of shoe 64 to leg 62 as above described and as fully illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, a life-like ankle action is presented when control lines 18 for legs 62 are manipulated. The shoes 64 are free to swing to a limited degree as determined by the relatively close proximity between wall 66 and the lowermost end of leg 62. During such swinging movement of the shoe 64, that part of the wall 66 defining wall 68, rotates freely upon the arcuate contour of eye T0. The distance between the proximal angled walls of bosses l4 and '16 is greater at the uppermost end thereof than the diameter of shank 12, thereby presenting a loose fit and permitting limited transverse swinging movement of the shoes 64 with respect to the legs 62.

Manifestly, the movement of shoe 64 with respect to leg 62 on the longitudinal axis of shoe 64 is appreciably greater than the extent of movement of shoe 64 on its transverse axis. Suflicient space is provided between wall 66 and the proximal end of leg 62 to permit such movement and yet. to prevent free rotational movement of the shoe 64 on shank 12. However, shoe 6 4 is not entirely held against rotational movement and the same will have a tendency to oscillate slightly when wall 66 is next adjacent the lowermost end of leg 62. All of such movements closely simulate the possible movements of a human foot and when the marionette is controlled in the usual manner, an ankle action is presented that is lifelike in appearance and thereby amusing and entertaining.

It is seen from the foregoing that the improvements hereinabove set forth, when taken in combination with the novel features of my prior patent, present a marionette toy that is highly maneuverable and capable of being controlled to perform in a manner not heretofore made possible through conventional constructions. Such changes and modifications that fairly come within the scope of the appended claims, are therefore, contemplated hereby,

3 Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a marionette having a leg, a shank extending into the lowermost end of said leg; a loop on the shank; a hollow shoe having a top wall provided with an elongated slot extending longitudinally of the shoe and receiving the shank with the loop bearing against the lowermost face of said wall; and a pair of opposed bosses depending from the top wall and bearing against the loop for holding the shoe against rotation on an axis extending longitudinally through the leg and through the heel of the shoe, said face of the wall having an arcuate bearing surface for the loop as the shoe is swung on its longitudinal axis.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bosses diverge as the lowermost portions thereof are approached, whereby to permit limited transverse swinging movement of the shoe.

HAZELLE H. ROLLINS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Parent July 30, I-lubbell Feb. 2, Schultz Sept. 5, Kolar Dec. 19, Doebrich Sept. 18, Goldenberg June 24, Marchand Apr. 13, Kreig May 21, Grubman 'Apr. 30, Katz June 18, Maisel Jan. 5, Treuting Jan. 11, 

